


Aftermath

by AirgiodSLV



Series: Lotrips Web Project [4]
Category: The Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-09-22
Updated: 2004-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-20 10:31:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16135409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AirgiodSLV/pseuds/AirgiodSLV
Summary: Everything was the same. Only different.





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> A remix/continuation of [Play Nice](http://www.livejournal.com/users/cupiscent/239845.html) by [](https://cupiscent.livejournal.com/profile)[cupiscent](https://cupiscent.livejournal.com/) and [Dirty Pretty Things](http://www.livejournal.com/users/azewewish/237920.html) by [](https://azewewish.livejournal.com/profile)[azewewish](https://azewewish.livejournal.com/). Thank to Brenda for the beta.

Everything was the same. Only different.

It wasn’t that Elijah acted any differently; he still joked around and called people names, and the music played on during Feet, louder than ever. It was the fact that nothing changed that really bothered Dom, when it came right down to it. Elijah didn’t appear to blame him, never said a word about that night. Dom tried to bring it up a couple of times, but Elijah seemed to know when he was thinking about it and slipped through his fingers.

There were little things. The way Elijah sometimes got quiet, especially when Orlando was around, and the way he didn’t touch as much. That was the one that bothered Dom the most. He was still physically affectionate, so it’s not like Dom could accuse him of anything. But the hugs were briefer, and the kisses on the cheek that used to accompany every farewell simply disappeared. Dom hadn’t realized how much he liked those kisses until they were gone.

It had never occurred to him, until now, to wonder why Elijah always kissed him in the first place.

* * *

The conversation was not one that Dom was meant to hear, but he paused to listen anyway.

“You told me he wanted it.” Orlando.

“He did want it. You were there.” Karl.

“Then why won’t he fucking talk to me now?” Orlando.

Aha, Dom thought as he continued walking down the hall. Maybe things had changed, after all.

* * *

The first time Dom couldn’t find Elijah on set, he went into a full-out panic.

Nobody had seen him, not in the last twenty minutes. Nobody had seen Karl, either…did he even have filming today? Nobody knew. Dom’s protective instincts hit an all-time high, and he became more aggressive even though he knew that he couldn’t make up for past failure by trying to save Elijah when he’d already been too late once. By the fifth snarled response, everyone stayed out of his way as he searched the site top-to-bottom.

He found Elijah in his trailer, fast asleep in Billy’s arms, the two of them curled together in costume on the bed. Billy’s eyes fluttered open when the door closed behind Dom, and he blinked sleepily, raised an eyebrow at Dom’s expression. Dom fidgeted and didn’t say anything, afraid to disturb Elijah’s sleep. After a moment, Billy untangled himself with a sigh and nodded towards the door. Outside. Dom spared one last glance for Elijah and followed Billy out.

“You can’t keep protecting him, Dom,” Billy said as soon as the door closed.

“He needs me, Bills. He begged me…”

“It’s over, Dom.” Billy cut through his excuses without even raising his voice. “Just let it go. Karl won’t try it again.”

“What if he does?” Dom protested, arms folded stubbornly across his chest.

“Then it happens again. Or it doesn’t. Elijah has to make his own decisions. But whatever happened was consensual, Dom. You seem to keep forgetting that.”

Dom’s reply died in his throat when Elijah appeared, bleary-eyed, pushing open the door and blinking at them. “Billy?” he asked curiously, and Dom stepped back, misplaced frustration dissipating. Of course it had been consensual. Elijah wanted Orlando. That was one thing Dom never forgot.

* * *

Dom had almost slept with Karl once. His preference for pretty and slender aside, Karl was attractive. And he had charisma, as well as the dark temptation that had drawn Orlando to him like a moth to a flame, and finally ensnared Elijah. But Dom and Karl had been too much alike, and Dom had pushed back where Karl had wanted him to yield, tried to top when Karl had refused to bottom.

It would still be a temptation, except for the mind games that Dom knew came along with the rather attractive package. He didn’t play like that. It was too easy for people to get hurt.

The next time they went out drinking as a group, Dom slammed Karl into the bar before they’ve even ordered the first round. “Touch him again and I’ll kill you,” he hissed, and Karl smirked back at him without giving an inch.

“Why are you really angry, Dom?” he asked, their gazes locked and holding. “Because I had him? Or because I had him first?”

Dom cursed and let Karl go with another yank on his collar, his hands inches from Karl’s throat, but unable to act on the impulse that accompanied the flood of red across his vision. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Orlando watching them. Elijah wasn’t, but then Elijah hadn’t met Karl’s eyes since the night they went home together. Back when this whole mess started. Dom couldn’t figure out how the threads had gotten snagged and tangled so fast.

Orlando didn’t leave with Karl that night. It was significant to Dom, but Elijah didn’t seem to notice...he talked to Viggo and taste-tested New Zealand beers with Sean, and when he left a few hours later he said goodnight to Dom, without a goodnight kiss.


End file.
